Regioselectivity-Switchable Hydroarylation of Styrenes

Yoshikai et al. have reported the regioselectivity-switchable hydroarylation of styrenes. According to their results, in the cobalt-catalyzed hydroarylation of styrenes via chelation-assisted C-H bond activation, the use of 1,3-dimesitylimidazolium chloride （IMes•HCl） or tricyclohexylphosphine as a ligand affords linear or branched addition products, respectively, in a highly regioselective fashion. The use of the inexpensive cobalt catalysts and the relatively mild reaction conditions are also notable features of the reaction.